June 17, 2020 -- Several CH-UH students participated in this year’s 42nd Annual Marilyn Bianchi Playwriting Festival. Sponsored by Dobama Theatre in Cleveland Heights, the playwriting competition required students to use their creativity and writing skills to compose an original piece. Prior to the competition, Fairfax Elementary students participated in a playwriting workshop with Dobama Theatre that helped them prepare for the competition. On their own time, students crafted original plays written without the help of any teacher or adult and submitted them.
Five 4th and 5th grade students had their original plays selected as winners in the month of April. Under normal circumstances the winning plays are performed at Dobama Theater and the playwrights and their families and teachers are invited to come and watch the performances. Due to COVID-19, the plays will not be performed this year. Each winner will receive a prize bag as well as a bound copy of all of the winning plays.
Congratulations to the winning students:
“The Healer’s Curse” by Eleanor Egbert5th Grader at Gearity Professional Development School
“A girl named Heather is born with the power to heal. She first discovers these powers when she is in 2nd grade, when her best friend, Emma, runs into a tree. Sadly, the pain she takes away from others is put upon herself. A few years later (high school) Emma moves away and Heather heals her emotional pain, giving herself twice as much. Later in high school, Heather starts to help the school nurse. She also finds out that she can't heal herself, but its like giving herself the pain over and over again until it's gone.
One day, she is healing herself and gets a call from her mom. Her mom tells Heather that Heather's dad has a deadly disease. Heather decides to heal her father no matter the cost. After healing her father she gives herself the disease and heals herself, nearly dying. In the end, Heather is fine and her parents realize why she came back home with so many injuries.”
“Battle for the Golden Bone” by Braylon Rashad5th Grader at Oxford Elementary School
"The Battle of the Golden Bone is about a dog name Andrew who has powers and wants to defeat his brother Tommy. Andrew the Dog, that has super powers, wants a bone called The Golden Bone. He wants the bone to claim it for himself and take over the world.“
“Dino Day” by Caden Blockson
5th Grader at Fairfax Elementary School
“The Pet Hotel” by Henry Stricker
4th Grader at Fairfax Elementary
Henry Stricker is a fourth grader at Fairfax Elementary. Henry enjoys writing comics and plays. He also likes cats, coding, and video games. When he grows up, Henry wants to be a video game designer.
“The Grim Suitcase” by Bryan Barnett
4th grader at Fairfax Elementary School